1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general field of food preparation items. In particular, the field of the present invention relates to food grinding apparatus operated by hand, as opposed to electric or other motorized apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, prior art food grinding apparatus which is used to grind foods such as garlic or peppercorns are generally smooth surface devices wherein pressure is applied between the surfaces to grind the foods. A common food grinding apparatus known in the prior art is a mortar and pestle which preparers of Latin foods use to prepare sauces and salsas.
It has been discovered that the operation of two smooth surfaces grinding against each other such as a mortar and pestle do not provide a finely ground or chopped or minced food item. There is a significant need to provide a hand operated food grinding apparatus which can enable the user to finely grind and mince food items.
The present invention is hand operated food grinding apparatus into which is designed a series of opposing parallel ridges to enable the food item such as garlic, peppercorn, spices, coffee etc. to be ground into coarsely ground portions or finely ground portions depending on the arrangement and design of the opposing parallel ridges.
It has been discovered, according to the present invention, that if the hand grinding apparatus comprises a base having an upper surface made of a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel groves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a flat upper surface, and also comprises a top member having a lower surface made of an opposing series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a flat surface, and wherein a respective ridge of the base member is aligned with a respective ridge of a top member, then the hand held member can be used to coarsely grind garlic because some of the garlic falls into the grooves of the base and top members and can be removed therefrom.
It has also been discovered, according to the present invention, that if the hand grinding apparatus comprises a base having an upper surface made of a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel groves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a flat upper surface, and also comprises a top member having a lower surface made of an opposing series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a flat lower surface, wherein a respective ridge of the base member is offset from a respective ridge of a top member such that the ridges of the top member are aligned with the grooves of the base member, then the handheld member can be used to finely grind garlic because the ridges of the top member will be aligned with the grooves of the base member so that garlic will be ground even if it falls into the grooves of the base and top members.
It has additionally been discovered, according to the present invention, that if a hand grinding apparatus comprises abase having an upper surface made of a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a flat upper surface, and also comprises a top member having a lower surface made of a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves, wherein each of the parallel ridges has a rounded semicircular surface wherein a respective ridge of the base member is aligned with a respective ridge of a top member, then the handheld member can be used to finely grind garlic because some of the garlic falls into the grooves of the top and the grooves of the lower member and can be removed therefrom.
It has additionally been discovered, according to the present invention, that if a hand grinding apparatus comprises a base having an upper surface made of a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a flat upper surface, and also comprises a top member having a lower surface made of a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves, wherein each of the parallel ridges has a rounded semicircular surface wherein a respective ridge of the base member is offset from a respective ridge of a top member, such that a rounded ridge of a top member is aligned with a groove of the base member, then the handheld member can be used to finely grind garlic because some of the garlic falls into the grooves of the base and top members and the offset rounded ridges of the top member can be used to grind the garlic even when it falls into the grooves of the base member to create a more finely ground garlic.
It has also been discovered, according to an alternative embodiment of the present inventions that if a hand grinding apparatus comprises a first base member having an upper surface made of a series of parallel ridges which are rounded in a concave fashion to be rounded into the base and are separated by a series of parallel concave grooves, wherein each of the parallel concave ridges has a rounded or flat surface, and also comprises a second top member having a lower surface made of a series of parallel convex ridges separated by parallel convex grooves, wherein each of the parallel convex ridges has a rounded or flat surface, and wherein each of the convex parallel ridges of the top member is aligned with each of the concave parallel grooves of the base member, then the handheld member can be used to coarsely grind peppercorns, coffee, seeds and other food items which are smaller and more delicate than garlic.
It has also been discovered, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, that if a hand grinding apparatus comprises a first base member having an upper surface made of a series of parallel ridges which are rounded in a concave fashion to be rounded into the base and are separated by a series of parallel concave grooves, wherein each of the parallel concave ridges has a rounded or flat surface, and also comprises a second top member having a lower surface made of a series of parallel convex ridges separated by parallel convex grooves, wherein each of the parallel convex ridges has a rounded or flat surface, and wherein each of the convex parallel ridges of the top member is offset from each of the concave parallel ridges of the base member, so that a respective convex parallel ridge of the top member is aligned with a concave groove of the base member, then the handheld member can be used to finely grind peppercorns, coffee, seeds and other food items which are smaller and more delicate than garlic.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hand grinding apparatus which enables food items such as garlic to be coarsely ground by having a base member having a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves wherein each of the surfaces of the parallel ridges is flat and having a top member having an opposing lower surface having a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a flat surface.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an alternative embodiment wherein food items can be more finely ground by having the series of parallel flat surfaced ridges of the top surface aligned with the parallel grooves of the lower surface so that the parallel ridges can intersect into and grind food when it falls into the grooves of the lower base surface.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a further alternative embodiment wherein food can be even more finely coarsely ground by having the ridges of the top surface formed in a rounded manner so that they can more conveniently be pressed into the grooves of the base member so that the rounded ridges of the top member are aligned with the grooves of the base member to more finely crush and grind food.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a hand operated grinding apparatus to grind more fine foods such as coffee, spices, seeds, etc. by having a base member comprised of a series of concave ridges separated by concave grooves and having a top member having an opposing surface comprising a series of convex ridges separated by convex grooves so that the convex ridges of the top surface are aligned with the concave ridges of the base member to more finely crush foods.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an alternative embodiment wherein the convex ridges of the top member are offset from the concave ridges of the base member so that the convex ridges of the top member are aligned with the concave grooves of the base member so that food items which fall into the grooves of the base member can be more finely ground by the convex ridges of the top member.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an opposing convex and concave grinding surfaces where at least one of the surfaces are rounded to make for more precision grinding.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a set of opposing concave and convex grinding ridges wherein both ridges are flat so that food can be more coarsely ground.
It is also an object of the present invention to have a set of opposing concave and convex grinding surfaces where the ridges are aligned with each other and it is also an object of the present invention to have a series of opposing concave and convex grinding surfaces where the ridges are offset from one another so that a series of ridges in the top member are aligned with the grooves of the base member to provide more fine grinding.
Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings.